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Why Run?

I met up with a group of friends earlier this week and got into a discussion about running.

I had at one point blurted out “I actually don’t really like running” and all conversations went dead and all eyes were on me. “But I thought you LOVED running,” one asked, “ you have that blog and you are always doing it and talking about it”.

Then I got to thinking about why do I do it? Why run if I don’t like it?

I sat down last night to gather my thoughts and write about why I run. I decided to take a quick break and read a little bit more of “Zen and the Art of Running” by Larry Shapiro, PhD to get a more zen-like perspective on why I run.

No joke, I came across this Zen Practice in my reading last night.

I took that as a sign that I was supposed to really figure out why I like to run, so here goes…

My reason for starting running was to help with my weight loss. I thought running was the fastest way to burn a lot of calories so it made sense that running would be the answer.

I have been running for one year now and cannot attribute much weight loss to solely running. But what I have found is that I am able to push myself beyond a limit I never thought was possible.

Seriously, a year ago I would have thought you were crazy if you told me I would be training for a marathon.

But I run because it’s an amazing accomplishment to say that I can.

In my short time running I have seen all the networking opportunities and the community running creates. I have since created a running group with friends and will be joining the Team In Training group at the end of the month. I hope to gain a wealth of knowledge and a group of new running buddies!

I also feel the benefits from running too. There is something so freeing about running and when you are all done it’s a great feeling. Whether you just ran a mile or 6 miles you feel good!

So what’s not to LOVE about it? To be honest, it’s freakin’ hard.

It takes time and commitment to strap on those running shoes every other day and make yourself go out there and follow a training plan. It takes money to fund all the gear and races. It takes a beating on your ego when look down at your garmin and wished you could have finished just a little bit faster. Sometimes you just don’t want to get up and face the horrible weather just get in your scheduled run. I could go on and on why it’s hard…

But in the end, the bib numbers on the wall, the finishing medals, the pile of worn out running shoes, the friendships made, the memories and the smell of sweat and tears is what is left. Running is something that no one can take away from me. The small milestones I have reached and the feelings of proudness that has overcome me every single time I beat my own personal record. That is why I run.

I run for me- to prove to myself that anything is possible. And most of the time I don’t like it, but as I have said before, It’s usually the things that you don’t like that help you grow the most. There is a reason I don’t like it, and because of that reason I have to push a little harder.

13 thoughts on “Why Run?”

I love this post!
I’ve thought a lot in the past about why I run. At first I thought the same as you, it would aide in my weight loss. But really it hasn’t. It has made me feel a lot better in my weight loss journey. But why do I run? The sense of accomplishment. I love races. I like seeing if I can reach a new goal when running a race, making a new PR. I need to push myself harder and running allows me to do that. Like you said, it is not easy. When I am running I don’t love it but I do love how I feel after a good run.

What appropriate timing to come across that passage in the book. You’ve listed some great reasons here.

I run because:
-it keeps me healthy both mentally and physically
-it makes me more midful of my diet (bonus, weight loss)
-I have made wonderful friendships through running
-I like to challenge myself and see how far/how fast I can go
-it gives me a purpose

Well said! I too, have a love/hate relationship with running. Growing up I was the furthest thing from an athlete you can imagine. I NEVER thought I could accomplish something as challenging as distance running. It’s amazing what your body can do when your mind is on board. Some days I hate running, most miles are lousy, and getting out the door is sometimes the hardest thing in the world. But sometimes the breeze blows just right, the trail becomes smooth and my legs start to move all on their own and it’s amazing. I run because I can.

I feel the exact same way…except I don’t admit that I don’t actual like it…I mean, the act of running is not fun…but the thrill of doing it, being able to push myself outside of the box and do something that I never thought possible is AWESOME. I feel like running is in a way something I can strive for and push myself towards, now that I am out of school, am a mommy and a wife. Some people think that life is pretty much over after college…that now is the time to focus on your family and all of your kids accomplishments, but I think running has given me something to be proud about myself, and something that (like you said) nobody can take away from me…If I want to go out and run, I can! That is an awesome feeling!

Love this post! I am struggling to make myself go out today for a run as well.
I run because:
-it makes my pants fit
-it has shown I CAN do more than I ever thought
-it surrounds me with positive, motivating and encouraging people.
thanks for posting this!

I feel the same way about running. I’ve only been running for a few months and it’s still so hard. I honestly don’t think that running will ever be easy. I like the challenge. I challenge myself to faster times, longer distances or higher inclines. It keeps it from getting boring!

This is a great post. Anyone who says they don’t have the inner love/hate battle with running is kidding themselves. Every once in a while, in the middle of a long hard run, I think I’m crazy for actually loving this. But then after wards the feeling of accomplishment and “runner’s high” completely out weighs the few moments of pain, boredom, or sacrifice.

Love it! I can’t explain my reasons better than you because they are mostly the same.

I find it often hard to go out and run and when I start ask myself often: why the hell did I ever decide this was fun? But then somewhere in almost every run there comes a point where it all goes easily and I run naturally.

I run because it helps me to lose weight, it makes me healthier, I love being outside, I push myself everytime a little bit further and I feel great once I finish my run.